I found an article by Karson McGinley and wanted to share the ideas with you. Some people are just naturally morning people and others like myself are naturally night people. In school, I always did my best studying at night. When I was raising my kids, I stayed up a bit later for my alone time. However, It is possible to be flexible and change this if you should desire. I know because I did it.
Researchers have concluded that morning people are more productive, happier, and healthier than people who stay up late. This is proven and while there are definitely exceptions to every rule, for the most part the research is right. For those of us who aren’t naturally a morning person, it’s nice to have a systematic way of reaching that goal should you want to.
Here are the first 6 of 10 steps to becoming a morning person in less time than it takes you to throw your alarm clock across your bedroom.
1. Self talk is powerful. Stop Saying You’re Not a Morning Person
The biggest consideration is to watch how you talk to yourself and others. If you make it your identity that you thrive late at night and you are not a morning person, this transition will be harder because of the self talk. The more you hate the morning, (and roll your eyes at people who are chipper at dawn), the worse off you’ll be.
You have to shift your habits of thought and speech, as much as you will your habits of action and your body clock. Make your self-talk positive. Instead of saying, “Ugh, I’m not a morning person,” say “I’m becoming a person who makes the most of my mornings.”
2. You need a reason…Write down the benefits of Shifting Your Routine
The only real way to shift your self-talk is when you have a true desire. So, get clear about why you want to make this change. Because you’re tired of dragging yourself to work half-asleep and grumpy?Do you crave some time to yourself before your kids wake up? Is an exercise or meditation routine a priority for you, and you know it won’t get done if you wait until day’s end?
Make sure you put your primary reasons down on paper and make them clear. Having them in your head isn’t enough. Fill you head with positive thoughts about being a morning person by reading blogs and books and watching videos on the power of morning. Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning is a great book on this topic. Keep coming back to the rewards of waking up earlier so you can create the energy needed to do it.
3. Commit to doing the things you need to do to make this change Don’t just “try” to make them!
Now you know WHY you want to wake up earlier, Now it’s time to do what it takes! Many of us night people who get defeated by the alarm clock only “tried” to wake up earlier; they didn’t commit to it. Make your wake-up time a non-negotiable. The habit of sleeping in can destroy the willpower to wake up early (because it’s a habit) realize that you are perfectly capable of getting up, and make yourself do it no matter what. Let’s face it, if you had a flight to Hawaii that left at 5:30 AM, you would have very little problem getting up at 4:00 so you could make the flight. The more you exercise your willpower to get up the more powerful your willpower will be when you focus on things like eating well, being patient, and following through on your fitness goals.
Go to bed earlier and turn your devices off one hour before bed. just turn them off and go to bed. Obviously, things happen that might throw you off course, but part of being a mature adult is setting proper boundaries and not making excuses when you know you could do better.
4. Set Your Alarm and Don’t Hit Snooze
There are few things that feel as empowering as waking up on purpose and with a purpose, before the sun rises, to do something your future self will thank you for.
A good work out or a solid meditation practice is a great way to start the day. Getting up early feels really good once it’s done. When you arise just before sunrise, you align yourself with nature, which Ayurveda says will help even out your energy levels all day long.
Set your alarm for your desired wake-up time (by 6am, if possible), place the phone or clock across the room, and get into bed. When your alarm goes off in the morning, do not snooze. Get out of bed, put your feet on the floor, turn off your alarm, and be proud of yourself for getting up and following through on your intention.
5. Say Your Bedtime Affirmations
Before you go to sleep at night, make the last thoughts you think be positive ones. If you look at the clock and tell yourself, you will only get X hours of sleep, and go to bed worried or anxious about how tired you will be when you wake up, the first thought you will have in the morning will be one of dread.
Instead, affirm to yourself that the sleep you’re about to enjoy will be restful, refreshing, and give you all the energy you need for your upcoming day. Your system will listen to you!
Work on these this week and get your mind in the right space. Most importantly, find your WHY… Stay tuned for next week to get the rest of the story! .
Yours in Health,
Dr. Jack Belitz, DC
PS Very excited about the potential for you to make this change. I know for me it was a life changer for me. I still like getting up early. One of the big things that helped me was to realize that stress in my life had gotten out of control and was affecting my body in many ways which made this change very difficult. The steps that this newsletter outlines will definitely help you, however if your nervous system is too stressed out, it will be difficult. If you find this to be true, please call for a complementary exam. We can screen your nervous system for abundance of stress that may be hold you back and if we find it, we can get rid of it. Call 402-333-4848 and we will schedule that exam at no charge. just mention this newsletter.
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